Deep potholes pose serious risks for motorists

This dangerous pothole on the back road in Kavera was the same depth as a water bottle when the picture was taken earlier this year. 18040916

Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) say they will start work on fixing the massive pothole which caused an accident in Titikaveka over the weekend, once the weather improves.

In the meantime, ICI’s Vaipo Mataora has confirmed they have placed cones around the pothole to avoid any further accidents.

Over the weekend, a foreign worker escaped serious injuries when he was thrown off his motorbike after it hit the pothole, just past the entrance to Titikaveka College.

Concerned Rarotonga resident Marisa Summers, who witnessed the accident, took to Facebook to warn people of the massive pothole, which was hidden under water.

“Just witnessed a motorbike accident there (Titikaveka), luckily the Filipino got flipped off his bike and he rolled landing into the water and didn’t hurt himself too much. The deep water saved him I think,” Summers posted on the Rarotonga – Community and Beyond page on Sunday.

“When I got out to check on the young man, we saw how big the ‘hole’ was, it must have been a metre wide and deep enough to hide a foot and ankle. The bike went in it and didn’t come out the other side, put it that way!

“I’ve called the police and they said they would send someone out to take a look. But slow down people, as you can’t see the hole from the rain puddles.”

Police later told Summers that they had identified the pothole and had called the relevant authority to have it repaired.

Mataora, who is in charge of road works, said ICI workers visited the site on Sunday and early yesterday. He said they placed cones around the pothole to warn motorists of the danger.

“Once the weather settles down then we will go back and fix the pothole,” Mataora said

Titikaveka MP Selina Napa, who has raised concerns about the deteriorating state of the roads in her constituency, also asked motorists to take caution, especially during the rainy spell.

“Please drive carefully on the road in Titikaveka. There are also two big dents in the road at the Little Polynesian in Akapuao and just past the Vaimaanga Church at the bridge. The dents are getting deeper and the back of your car will scrape the road if you’re not careful,” Napa replied to Summers’ post on Facebook.

A Facebook user responding to the post suggested it was about time for a civil case against government.